Students Depend on Adderall During Finals

COLUMBIA -It's that dreaded week for students at universities across the nation, especially in Mid-Missouri.Students are crunching and cramming for tests all week at the University of Missouri. Some students are clinging to a certain drug to help them through the stress and strain of tests: Adderall.

According to the National Collegiate Health Assessment of Colleges in the U.S., nearly 8-percent of students reported using a stimulant of some kind.

Most students are clinging to the stimulant, Adderall, which is a prescription drug used to combat negative effects of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

The main gain for students is focus. Adderall is a class II controlled substance, which is equivalent with Cocaine and Morphine. The use of this drug without a doctor's prescription is strictly prohibited. However, this isn't stopping students.

The extended use of Adderall has some nasty effects, including cotton mouth, loss of appetite, irritability and feelings of depression.

Students believe this drug helps them achieve better grades. According to a study conducted by Louisiana State University, that is not the case. Date suggests that good study habits alone, even without stimulants, could overcome the achievement of ADHD students.